Circular-knitting machine.



E. PAQUETTE. GIRGULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 25, 1911.

1,0923. 66. Patented Apr. '7, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l Hlllllllllllllllllllllll im lgllglllm Mhwes- E. PAQUETE. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 19114 1,092,166. Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. PAQUBTTB.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED Nov. 25, 1-911.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

- imwzf E. PAQUBTTB. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

' v APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1911.

1,092,166. Patented Apr. 7, 1914 WMS-es.-

UNITED sTATEs v'PATENT onirica.

EXILIAS PAQUETTE, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LAWRENCE MANU- FACTURING `COMPANY, 0F LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0FA MASSACHUSETTS.

enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to that class of circular knitting machines in which the'needles are operated upon Iby cams and devices arranged about the cylinder, the relative movements between the needles andneedle operating devices requisite for knittinga tubular fabricprovided at intervals with heel and toe pockets being producedy by rotary and reciprocat-ory movements of either the needlev cylinder or the support or cylinder on which the needle operating devices are mounted.

The invention isv intended primarily as an improvement in the machine shown and described in the Vpatents to Hemphill, No. 933,442, September 7, 1909, and No. 935,981, October 5,1909, and known as the Banner machine. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited in its application to this machine, and that certain features of the invention may be embodied in other constructions and other forms of circular knitting machines adapted for knitting seamless hosiery.

In the Banner machine, as is usual in this type of knitting niachine`the change of the knitting motion from rotary to reciprocatory and back to rotary, and the throwing into and out of operation of the devices forraising or lowering the long butt or instep needles, and the/ throwing into and out of operation of the devices for raising and loweringindividual needles for narrowing and widening, are effected by controlling cams ony a cam shaft which is fed forward or advanced at proper intervals and which guides to change the yarn at certain partsof the'stocking. eWith this constructionk the points atl which, and the frequency with.

which the yarn may be changed, islimited,

A'since the. proper operation yof themeedle con- Speccation of Letters Patent.

CIRCLAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. '7, 1914.

Application filed November 25, 1911. Serial No. 662,265.

troller cams requires the cam shaft to be advanced at certain definite intervals, and also requires that the movements given to the cam shaft shall be in the same sequence for each stocking.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for actuating the yarn guides to change the yarn which will enable the yarn to.be changed at any deslred point or points in the knitting of the stocking.

It is a further object to provide a mechanism of this character the operation of which may be variedl to vary the point at which the yarn is changed without affecting the operation of the controller cam shaft.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanisml of the above character which may be readily applied to the Banner machine, and to otherwise improve the yarn changing mechanism of this machine.

. Tothese ends the invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and referred to in the claims.

The various features of the invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the mechanisms illustrated therein.

4In the drawings Figure 1 is a frontielevation partly in section showing a Banner machine provided with the present improvements; Fig. 2 is a` detail'side elevation showing a part of the mechanism for operating the yarn guides to change the yarn;\Fig. 3 is a sect-ionalrplan view on line 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the yarn guiding and holding devices; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5 5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6.: is a detail elevation showing the devices for.,Av controlling the operation of the yarn changAl` ingrnechanism; and Fig. 7 is a detail sectional elevation showing a part of the yarn-'- changing mechanism.

As shown in the drawings, the invention is embodied in the Banner machine hereinbefore referred to, and only so much of that machine has been illustrated as is necessary to understand the application of the pres-I ent improvement thereto.

The needle cylinder 1, the plate 2 carrying the knitting cams, the cams for throwing the long butt or instep needles into4 and Iout. of

y ing clutch 5 as in the banner machine.

The machine is provided'with a controller cam shaft 6 which carries the cam 7 for changing the knitting motion, the speed changing cam 8 the -fashioning cams 9 for varying the height of the plate 2, and the cam 10 yfor throwing the widening pickers into and out of operation, all of which are constructed and operated in the same manner as the corresponding devices in the Banner machine. The controller cam shaft 6fis inter-y mittently advancedor fed forward during the' knitting of a stocking by a pawl 11 pivoted to the oscillating segment 12 of the cylinder reciprocating mechanism. The pavvl 11 is arranged to engage teeth formed on a ratchet Wheel l13 secured to the cam shaft, and the pawl is held normally out of enga-gement with the teethof' the ratchet wheel by the rear end of a controller lever 14. The front end of the controller lever is provided with a laterally projecting finger 15 arranged to be engaged by lugs 16 on a pattern chain` 17 which is carried by a sprocket wheel loosely mounted on the cam shaft and connected with a ratchet wheel 18. Thepattern 'chain is fed forward during the operation of the machine by'a pawl 19 connected with the oscillating segment 12 and arranged to vengage the ratchet wheel and advance it a single toothv during each reciprocation of* the segment. When one of the v lugs 16' engages the finger 15 on the controller lever 14, the rear end of the lever is depressed so that the pawl 11 engages the teeth on the ratchet wheel'13 and advances the controller cam shaft one .or two steps, as the case may be. Theconstruction'and operation of this mechanism is that of the corresponding mechanism in the Bannerv machine.. 'The yarns are led to the needles through eyes formed in the front ends of the yarn guides 20, 21 and 22. For convenience in describing the mode of operation of the yarn changing devices, it will be assumed that a black yarn B is lad through the eye at the end of the yarn vguide 21, a reinforce black yarn Z1, is led through the eyeV at the end of the yarn guide, 20, and that white yarn W, either a single yarn or a double yarn, is led through one of-the eyes at the end of the yarn guide/22. `The yarn uides consists of levers pivoted at 23 to the atch rin 24 and acted upon-by springs 25 which ten to hold them in depressed'or active position against a supporting plate 26. They arn guidesare raised against the tension o the springs 25 to withdraw the yarns carried thereby from the needles by levers 27 connected by ycords 28 With levers 29, 30 and 31, I,which are arranged wit-h their front ends overlying a drum 32 on the controllery cam shaft.l The lever 29 whichI actuates the yarn guide 20 carrying the reinforce lyarn b is arranged to engage and be actuated by cam ribs 33 on the drum 32, the cam. ribs being arranged to lift the front end of the lever 29 and thus raise the yarn guide' 20 and withdraw the reinforce yarn from the needles du'rin the knitting of theleg and foot of the stoc ing. As thus far described, the yarn changing guides and the devices through which they are operated are the same in construction andarrangement as the corresponding devices in the Banner machine. In the Banner machine the levers 30 and 3l are also actuated to change the yarn from'black to white,

or white to black, by cam ribs secured to the drum 32, nd these ribs are constructed to effect the ciangino'` of the yarn during the feed of the contro ler cam shaft at the beginning or end of the heelor' toe. In embodychanging cam or series 4of cams and means 1 for controlling the operationv of the cam orl cams from the pattern chain. As shown, the yarn changing cam comprises a series of cam plates 34 and 35 secured to the face of a ratchet disk 36 and arranged to engage a pin 37 projecting laterally from a lever 38. VThe pm is carried in a collar 39 adjustably secured on the ylever 38 so that it may be brought into proper relation to the cam plates on the disk 36. rIhe upper end of the lever is connected by a link 40 with an arm 41 secured to the outer endof a rock shaft 42. The rock shaft extends above the rear ends of the levers 30 and 31, and is provided with two oppositely projecting arms 43 and 44 which are arranged to engage and actuate said levers. The ratchet disk 36 is looselyv mounted on afstud 45 which is conveniently screwed intoth'e end of the cam 'shaft 6.I The disk is h eld from rota-y tion by a sprin vpavvl 46 arranged to enproper intervals'by avpawl 47 pivoted to an arm 48which is secured to the end of a rock shaft 49 which carries the oscillating segment 12. The pawl 47 is normally held up out of engagement with the teethlon the disk 36 by a finger 50 which projects laterally gage the teeth w ich are formed on the `pe,

riphery of the disk. The disk is actuated at l from a lever 51 and underlies the pawl. The lever 51 is pivoted on the stud which supports the Vcontroller lever 14 and is provided at its front end with a laterally projecting linger 52 which overlies the ed e of the pattern chain. Certain links o the pat-tern chain are provided with lugs 53 arranged to engage the ojecting linger 52 and lift the forward en of the lever 51. When one of these links is carried under the n er 51 by the forward feed of the pattern cham the lever 51 is rocked to allow the pawl 47 to engage the teeth on the disk 36, so that the disk is advanced a distance of one tooth during the reciprocation of the segment l2 and rock shaft 49.

When the parts yare in the position indicated in the drawings, with the pin 37 resting against the outer side of one of the plates 34, the arm 44 is in a position to depress the rear end of the lever 31, and thus raise the yarn guide 22 so that the white yarn isheld out of engagement with the needles. At this time the arm 43 is raised so that the rear end of the lever is free to rise, and the yarn guide 2l is therefore held down by its spring 25 in position to feed the black yarn B to the needles. vIf the controller cam shaft is in the position indicated in Figs. 3 and 7, the rear end of the lever 29 is also free to rise, so that the yarn guide 20 for the reinforce yarn will be held own by. its spring 25 in position to feed the reinforce yarn to the needles. When the yarn is to be changed a lug 53 on the pattern chain strikes the front end of the lever 51, thus allowing the actuating pawl 47 to advance the cam disk 36'a distance of one tooth. During this movement of the cam disk the pin 37 engages the front end of the plate and is carried inward so that it rests against the inner edge of the plate 35. The movement thus imparted to the lever 38 rocks the rock shaft 42 in a direction to depress the arm 43 so that it dcpresses the rear end of the lever' 30 and raises the yarn guide 21 to withdraw the black yarns B vand b from the needles. The` rsame movement of the rock shaft raises the arm 44 so that the rear end of the lever 31 is free to rise and the yarn guide 22 is moved by its spring 25 to deliver the white yarn to the needles. The White yarn is now f ed to the needles until the cam disk 36 is 'again moved', when the rock shaft 40 1s again actuated to depress the lever 31 and release the lever 30, thus shifting the yarn chain the yarn may be changed from black to white, or white to black, at any point-in the knitting of the stocking, and the change from one yarn to the other may be made as frequently as desired by proper arrangement of the lugs on the pattern chain.l Any desired change in the operation of the yarn changing mechanism may be readily made by changing or shifting the links of the lpattern chain which are provided with lugs 53, and the yarnchanging mechanism may be'actuated to produce stripesl at any desired point in the stocking, or to change the yarn at any desired point duringk the knitting of either the heel or toe.

W hen a yarn is withdrawn from the needles by the upward movement of one of the yarn guides, the yarn which is thus withdrawn is held until'it is again presented to the needles by a 'yarn holding device arranged within the needles of the needle cylinder. This `yarn holding device comprises a plate 54 secured to the latch ring, and a cooperating clamping arm 55. The arm 55 is carried by a rock shaft 56 and is held in engagement with the plate 54 by a spring 57 which is connected to the free end of any larm 58 secured to theendof the rock shaft.

An inclined fingen 59 prjects from the end of the arm 55 into position to direct the yarn under the arm ay'sthe needle cylinder revolves. In-ordertfzjtofisure the passage of the yarn betweeng't emplate and arm 55 so that it will be securely clamped, the plate 54 is provided with an upwardly projecting linger 60 so arranged that the yarn will pass readily over it as the cylinder rotates in a forward direction or in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, but will pass under the projecting end of the finger when the cylinder ,rotates in a reverse direction. The plate is also preferably provided with a safety notch 61 which will catch the yarn as the cylinder rotates in a reverse direction incase the yarn should by any chance have passed over the retaining finger 60. This safety notch in such case will catch the yarn so that it will pass properly under the finger 59 vand over the plate 54 during the next forward Inovement of the needle cylinder. The finger 60 and safety notch 61 thus act to insure the lproper engagement of the yarn with the olding devicesv when thevchange of yarn is effected during the. reciprocatory knitting. With these devices the lifting of th@ arm 55 to insure the passage of the yarn under it is not necessary,` and-the arm may remain continuously in engagement with the plate 54. This enables the spring takeups which act upon the yarns used during reciprocatory knitting to maintain a constant light tension upon the yarns, and avoids the'` necessity of providing devices for throwing the takeups out of action.

While it is preferred to employ the con struction and arrangement of parts shown and described, especially in embodying the invention in a Banner machine, since this construction and arrangement .can readily be embodied in existing machines Without change or reorganization of the parts, it Will 'be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential to the broader features of the invention, and may be varied and modified to suit the requirements of the machine in which'the invenf tion is to be embodied.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described one form of machine in Which it may be embodied, What I claim is:

l. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a rotary; needle cylinder, needle actuating cams, controller cams for control- .ling the action of the needle actuating cams on the needle, yarn guides, a cam movable independently of the controller cams, connections between the cam andyarn guides, a ratchet connected with the cam, an actuating pavvl for the ratchet, mechanism for actuating the controller cams, a pattern chain, and means for independently controlling the actuating mechanism and actuating pawl from the scribed.

2. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a rotary needle cylinder, needle actuating cams, av cam shaft carryingcams for controlling the action of the lneedle actuating cams on the needles, vertically movable yarn guides, levers engaging the guides, actuating levers connected with the guide engaging levers, a rock shaft provided with arms arranged to alternately operate the actuating levers, a cam connected to actuate the rock shaft, mechanism for actuating the controllergicam shaft, mechanism `for independently a nating the yarn guid cam,

`and a pattern chain for controlling the actuating mechanisms, substantially as described. i

' 3. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, knitting cylinders, cams'and connections for controlling the knitting, mechanism for actuating the controller` cams, a pattern chain for controlling the actuating mechanism, yarn changing devices, a cam movabley independently of the controller cams for actuating the yarn changing devices to change the yarn, and mechanism inpattern chain, substantially as dfidependent-ly controlled "from the pattern chain for actuating the yarn changing cams, substantially as described.

4. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a rotary needle cylinder, needle actuating cams, a cam shaft carrying cams for controlling the action of the needle actuating cams .on the needles, vertically movable yarn guides, a cam and connections for raising and lowering thel guides, actuating mechanism for the cam shaft,- actuating mechanism for the yarn guide cam, a pattern chain, and means for independently controlling the actuating mechanisms from the pattern chain, substantially as described.

,5. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, needle actuating cams, mechanism for relatively rotating and reciprocatingthe needle cylinder and cams, a cam shaft carrying cams for controlling the action of the needleactuating cams on the needles, vertically movable yarn guides, levers engaging the guides, actuating levers connected with the .guide.engaging levers, a rock shaft provided with 'arms arranged to alternately engage and depress the actuating levers, a cam connected to actuate the rock shaft, and devices for intermittently actuating the cam, substantially as described.

6. A circular knitting machine, having, in combination, a needle cylinder, a series of vertically movable yarn guides, a yarn holding arm within the needles, acoperating yarn supporting plate, and a yarn retaining rlinger on the late beyond the knitting point i direct the yarn under the plateY arranged to on vthe reverse stroke of the needle cylinder, substantially as described.

7. A circular knitting machine, having,.in combination, a needle cylinder, :a seriesl of vertically movable yarn guides,. a yarn holding arm 55 having a yarn .detlectingl linger 59, and a plate 54 provided with a pro`' jecting finger 60, substantially as described.

8. A circular knitting machine,"l1a\ ri11 ginv combination, a needle cylinder, a series oi vertically movable yarn guides, a yarn holding arm 55 having a yarn dellecting finger 59, and a plate 54 Prcvlded with. a Projecting finger 60 and witha notch 61, substan- 105 tially as described.

* l EXILIAs-PAQUETTE.

Witnesses:

ANDREW G. SWABP, BENJAMIN W. CLI-:mime 

